Not Free From You
by I write sinful tragedies
Summary: It has been four years since Rin has been to Japan. The last time he saw Haruka led to nothing but pain and regret, leading to an eventual break down at his American University. After all that time, he has returned home, only to find the world, his sister and friends, are moving on. When his old captain offers him a job, it may lead him back to what he was trying to forget.


_Hey all._

_This is kind of a redundant experiment. I started this story before Free actually ended, and the boys got sorted out. At this point, this could be considered a divergence from canon story, depending on how I manipulate the story and backgrounds. However, I spent a lot of time on it, and wanted to publish it. I have started chapter two, but even if this gets a good response it will take a while to finish._

_Please R&R, it's much appreciated._

_-Ash_

* * *

_"Tokyo Air flight 371 from New York now preparing to land. Please turn off all electronics and fasten your seatbelt. Thank you for flying with Tokyo Air. We hope to see you again soon."_

I pull out my ear buds and put them in the pocket of my jeans, then strap on my seat belt. I look out the window, and can see Tokyo fast approaching.

_It's been four years..._

I sigh, running a hand through my red hair.

_I wonder how he's doing..._

My mind fills with images of blue-black hair and deep eyes. Skin tan from swimming in the ocean, tight with years' worth of hard muscle, slick with sweat beneath me...

The plane jolts, (luckily) snapping me out of my thoughts. The Pilot's electronic voice comes over the loud speaker.

_"Thank you for choosing Tokyo Air. Please collect your bags from the overhead and continue to customs."_

I stand up, and stretch with a yawn. I grab my bag and make my way out of the plane. I step outside into the bright sunlight, and take a deep breath.

After all these years, I am back in Japan.

* * *

I pull my suitcase quickly behind me through the brightly lit lobby. Man, security was a pain. They wanted to freaking grab my balls to make sure I wasn't carrying bombs, or some shit! No way was I letting that happen. Of course, if I had, it would have sped up the whole process quite a bit.

"Rin! Hey, Rin! Over here!"

My head snaps around at the sound of a familiar voice.

"Gou? What are you doing here?" I am shocked by the sight of my sister running towards me.

"We're here to pick you up, silly!" She exclaims, giving me a hug. "Oh, I've missed you! I'm so happy to see you!"

"Uh, yeah, I'm glad to see you too. But I said I was going to take a taxi." I pause "And what do you mean we?"

"Seijuro is waiting in the car! C'mon, let's go!" Gou replies, pulling me along behind her.

I'm just confused now.

"Wait, Seijuro? As in, Seijuro Mikoshiba, my old team captain?"

"That's the one!" Gou answers, as if it was supposed to make sense.

"Why is he here?"

Gou turns her head back, winks at me, and giggles.

"It's a surprise!"

I frown. I hate surprises.

We finally get to the car, and Seijuro stepped out.

"Hey hey there Rin! Long time no see, man. How you been?"

Well there's an awkward question.

"I've been good. Lots of training, you know." I grin, lying through my teeth. I don't miss the look Gou gives me. I look away from them both, and open the trunk of the car.

"Right, you got try outs for Worlds coming up. Few of the guys from Samezuka are going too, and the Iwatobi guys."

I freeze, my hand still holding the lid of the car's trunk.

So I will have to see them all again. I figured as much. The other three won't be so bad. I don't really give a shit about the glasses guy, anyway. But I would have to see-

_"So you're leaving?"_

_Is that... disappointment in his voice?_

_"Of course. My mother's funeral is over."_

_"So you're jus-_

"Rin?"

My head snaps up. Gou is looking at me, concerned. Seijuro, for some reason, doesn't look too surprised by my behavior. Did she tell him?

"So why are you here anyway, Seijuro?"

I saw my sister and his ex captain share a look.

"Should we tell him?" Seijuro speaks first. Gou nods at him.

"Tell me what? What's going on?"

In answer, Gou holds out her hand.

"Is that a..." I look at my sister in disbelief. She grins at me.

"You two are... engaged?"

Gou laughs, and Seijuro rubs at the back of his head, smiling nervously. I just stare at them in shock.

"When did this happen?"

"About three months ago." Seijuro answers.

'But... but I didn't even know you two where together! And you!" I point at Seijuro "You didn't even clear it with her brother first!"

"Oh, c'mon bro. I'm a big girl, and you've known Seijuro for years! Besides, we didn't want to distract you from your training." Gou gives me a light shove.

"Anyway, now you know. We should get going. You're still staying with us until you find a place to stay, right?"

"Yeah, I guess. Nowhere else in Tokyo for me to stay." I reply. I could probably have stayed with Makoto or something, as he was still too nice for his own good, but I really didn't want to be the cause of that awkward situation.

"Sounds good. We don't have a spare room, but we set up a futon in the living room for you." Seijuro says, starting the car.

"Alright." I looked out the window at the passing city. I hadn't spent much time in Tokyo before going to America on a swimming scholarship. Neither of them were asking me questions about my time in the states. It seemed that Gou had told him everything. At least he wasn't making a huge deal about it.

"So, when's the wedding?" I eventually ask, when the silence starts to get plain out uncomfortable.

"October. It'll just be small, a few family and friends. We don't want to spend too much on it." Gou answers.

"Hm." Well, there went anything I had to say on that subject. I settle down to deal with a silent ride to their place.

* * *

Gou and Seijuro's place is pretty small. It has an apartment near the centre of the city, consisting of their room, a bathroom, and an open kitchen and living room with light purple walls. It is fairly plain, but I could see personal touches all around it. Pictures of them, of Seijuro's family, of Gou and I, of people from Samezuka, of the Iwatobi guys, and of... him.

There were also trinkets and such around, a few paintings on the walls. Seijuro walks in.

"You want anything to drink or eat?"

I turn around. "Ah, thanks, I'm alright. Where's Gou?" I guess he doesn't know all the details, since he asked that.

He raises an eyebrow at me.

"She left for work about an hour ago. She kept talking to you, but you didn't respond."

"Oh, right. I do that." I reply, awkwardly.

He smiles at me. It was a kind looking smile, like one Makoto or Nagisa would pull.

"She said you would. She also told me to remind you to take your pills. I told her that you're not a little kid anymore, but she wouldn't listen. It can be better not to argue with her sometime, y'know?"

I snort. "Do I ever. I've been remembering for the last year and a half though. I think I'll be fine. Thanks anyway." Should I ask how much he knows? Maybe not... I'll talk to Gou later.

"No problem." He yawns. "Well, I'm gonna get some shut eye. Got an early shift tomorrow."

"What do you do, anyway?" I ask.

"Oh right, I never told you. I'm a swimming instructor. I had to stop doing it competitively, since I hurt my shoulder, but I still wanted to be in the water." He smiles wistfully, smoothing his hair back.

I blink.

"You hurt your shoulder? When?"

"Oh, I was in a crash last year. Screwed it up pretty bad. Teaching little kids doesn't exactly strain me though."

I frown "I'm sorry to hear that. You were good."

He laughs.

"Yeah, well, that's how these things go. By the way, what are you planning to do job wise? If you're training a lot, it could be tough."

I open my mouth to reply, but realize I have no idea what to say.

"Um, any jobs as an instructor open?" I ask hopefully. He just laughs at me.

"No way man. Tons of people try to get jobs there. I mean, it's where all the Olympic hopefuls train."

Well, there goes that plan.

"Actually..."

"Hm?" I look at him.

"It's not a job as an instructor, but you would get access to the pool." He said, looking thoughtful.

"What is it?" I ask.

He looks up at me.

"A janitor."

I pause for a moment.

"A... what now?"

"Janitor."

"Janitor?"

"Janitor." He nods, serious.

...

"I am NOT going to be a janitor! Jeez, why the hell would you think that would be a good idea?" I exclaim. Honestly, why would I be a janitor? I just went to university on scholarship for four years.

"Because no other job will allow you that kind of access to a pool, and you can't freeload off us! Jeez Rin, Tokyo is expensive! You need to save so you can get your own place!"

I'm silent. I hadn't really thought about that. I knew that I wouldn't be able to stay here forever, but...

I sigh.

"Alright. Fine, I don't exactly have a choice. Are you sure I can get pool access?"

He smiles.

"Yup! Only after hours though. It's in use all day."

I sigh deeply again. A janitor... that's just peachy. Better than being jobless, I suppose...

"When do I start?" I ask. The sooner the better, I suppose.

"Well, I have to check everything with the manager first... probably day after tomorrow. Speaking of which..." He glances at his watch "I have to get going. Gou will be beack by eight or so, and my last class is at nine. You okay here by yourself?"

I quirk up an eyebrow.

"I'm twenty three, I think I'll manage."

He laughs. "Okay. Cool. See you then!"

"Yeah."

I watch him leave the apartment. When the door clicks shut, I walk into the kitchen and start looking for something to eat. I pull out some microwave gyoza from the freezer. It think I can handle that, now that no one is around. Just as I pop it in, my phone rings. Weird, who would be calling me?

"Hello?"

_"Matsuoka sempai! It's me, Aiichiro!"_

My eyes widen.

"Aiichiro? How did you know I was in Japan?"

_"Seijuro told me, and I wanted to say hello, now that we don't have to pay for a long distance call."_

I pause. It's been... five years since I spoke to him. A few emails were exchanged, until two years ago, when I stopped emailing anybody.

"Uh, right." I don't want to deal with his enthusiasm right now...

"Thing is, I'm kind of... unpacking. Can we talk later?"

_"Ah, of course sempai!"_ Why is he still calling me sempai? _"I'll call tomorrow!"_

He hangs up. I don't want to talk to him tomorrow either, but I don't want to be mean to the kid. Maybe I'll feel better tomorrow anyway...

I take my gyoza out of the microwave and put it on a plate. I take it into the living room/ where my futon is and turn on the TV, placing my plate on the kotatsu. Why do they have a kotatsu in July? I don't understand my family.

That's right, Seijuro is part of my family now. I suppose I am okay with him marrying Gou. He has always been a good guy, and even I could tell that he fell head over heels for her in high school.

At least someone in the remaining Matsuoka family got to be happy.

Okay, let's stop with the self pity. Not going to get us anywhere. Me anywhere. Whatever...

I finish my last dumpling and stand up, turning off the television. I take my plate into the kitchen, wash it, and put it away.

Then I walk over to my bag, and pull out the seven small, plastic bottles. I take a pill from three of them, and put the rest away. They are for other parts of the day. I make a face as I swallow the pills, wincing at the taste even after all this time.

Why do I keep taking these things dry?

I sigh for the umpteenth time in the past twenty four hours. Might as well go to sleep while the drugs kick in.


End file.
